ASTANA, November 20. /TASS/. The number of dead seals discovered along the Caspian Sea coast in Kazakhstan has increased significantly and now approaches 2,000, according to the Zhaiyk-Caspian Interregional Basin Fisheries Inspectorate, which is investigating the causes of the deaths.
The inspectorate's report, cited by the state agency Kazinform, indicates that specialists surveyed the coastline between October 24 and November 18. "During this period, we recovered a total of 1,989 seal carcasses," the report notes. Earlier, the inspection had reported finding 1,034 dead seals as of November 13.
"We have collected tissue and organ samples from the seals. We conducted PCR tests to check for avian influenza, plague, salmonellosis, pasteurellosis, listeriosis, and other infectious conditions. All tests showed that these diseases were not present <...>. Therefore, the exact cause of the seal deaths will be identified after all laboratory tests are completed. According to scientific experts, this process may take several months. We cannot definitively claim that all 2,000 seals died due to fishermen's nets, although some incidents may involve such causes," the report quoted acting Head of the Fisheries Inspectorate of the Mangystau Region Andrey Rutsky as saying.
The Caspian seal is the only mammal native to this body of water. It is listed in Russia’s Red Data Book. Director of the Institute of Hydrobiology and Ecology Mirgaliy Baimukanov told TASS that "the death of seals at this age represents a significant loss" for the species. He also emphasized the need for a thorough investigation to identify the cause of these animal deaths.
Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture reported on November 14 that one of the theories suggests that emissions of natural gas from underwater seismic activity could be responsible for the deaths.